


You Just Know When You Know

by talkingtothesky



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Public Display of Affection, Season/Series 03, So Married, Translation Available
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-08
Updated: 2015-09-08
Packaged: 2018-04-19 18:45:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4757015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/talkingtothesky/pseuds/talkingtothesky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Oh, look at you." Brusquely, he swiped at the accumulated snow on John's shoulders and hair. "I can't afford to have you catch cold, you know."</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Just Know When You Know

**Author's Note:**

  * For [potc](https://archiveofourown.org/users/potc/gifts).
  * Translation into 中文 available: [You Just Know When You Know (Chinese Translation)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5907313) by [lzqsk](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lzqsk/pseuds/lzqsk)



> In chat last night, potc said 'Write John and Harold hugging in the snow, and John bending to kiss Harold. I just want them to kiss in the snow!' I was quite taken with that image, so I did. I won't apologize for the astronomical levels of fluff, but consider yourself and your dentist warned.
> 
> Set late season 3, after Allegiance and before Death Benefit. Title from Something Like Happiness by The Maccabees.

"Where's your hat and scarf, John? You'll freeze to death out here."

 

Finch was snugly wrapped up to the chin in his purple scarf, hat perched rakishly atop his head, the brim collecting snow. Given the cold conditions, Bear was taking longer than usual to choose a place to conduct his business, and they were trudging along icy paths behind him. John had tucked Finch's gloved hand into the crook of his elbow as added insurance against him slipping over. It meant John only had one hand free to reach for his gun, which was tucked away at his back under his long coat, but he hoped they were safe enough for now.

 

He slowly came to a stop as Finch halted and turned right in front of him, his exhaled huff of breath ghosting in the air. "And your collar's wide open, as ever." Harold let go of John's arm and slid the loop of Bear's leash over his wrist. John tried not to shiver as Finch put his hands on him, deftly buttoning up John's shirt even with thick leather gloves on. The tip of his tongue darted out to wet his lower lip as he concentrated. John privately thought doing up a couple of buttons wasn't going to make much difference to his overall temperature, but Finch was fussy like that, and John liked it, so he didn't comment. Instead he glanced at Bear. The dog had sat down next to Finch and was panting up at them expectantly. His yellow service vest was helping to keep part of him dry, at least.

 

"There." Finch said, patting John's throat when he was done.

 

John leaned down a bit, fond smile stretching his cheeks. "Thank you," he said softly, and the warmth of his breath almost fogged up Finch's glasses. Finch nodded absently, already turning his attention back to Bear and walking on. He didn't take John's arm again, already several paces ahead before John got his feet in gear and caught up to them.

 

"Should have brought an umbrella," John noted, as another squall of wind sent snowflakes blowing past his eyes, blinking rapidly.

 

"Why didn't we think of that?" It was a fair question. Finch was usually obsessed with being prepared for anything, and the snow had already been thick on the ground and falling when they left the library. It had gotten heavier while they were out. Then John remembered that there wasn't an umbrella in the coat stand, ever since...

 

"Maybe because Root stole it." John thought Finch had mentioned she'd been dropping by their headquarters more frequently of late.

 

Finch turned his head and shoulders to smile amusedly at him. "You're very quick to blame her."

 

Bear shook himself a little, then resumed padding forward, nose low to the ground.

 

John shrugged. "I know you're starting to work with her, and that's fine, there's just...some things I don't forget so easily."

 

Harold's expression grew more serious. "I understand." He grasped John's hand, squeezed it. John hurriedly turned his head away and stared at the ground to hide his smile.

 

"It could just as easily have been Ms. Shaw."

 

John managed to school his face into an appropriate skeptical look. "Shaw. Sheltering under an umbrella."

 

Harold's eyebrows rose and his lips stuck out, as he considered John's point. "Alright, I'll have _words_ ," he acquiesced, sounding like he was being dramatic in an ironic kind of way. "Not that she'll listen to me, of course. No doubt the Machine had 'bigger plans' for that umbrella."

 

John laughed. He adjusted his grip on Finch's hand and returned in a low voice "You know I'll always listen to you."

 

Now it was Finch's turn to look skeptical. "Is this excluding all those times I tell you not to do something that's going to get you killed and you promptly do it anyway?"

 

"Worked out okay so far."

 

"Thanks to an enormous amount of luck."

 

"No, thanks to _you_ , Harold," John said cheerfully, swinging their arms between them.

 

The next thing he knew, Finch had stopped walking again and rocked up on his toes to kiss him. John breathed in sharply through his nose, startled. He'd taken John's arm and even his hand in public before, but kissing? Private people didn't just start kissing in the middle of the park. But the snow was falling thick enough to cast them in some anonymity, and John had already wanted to, when Harold fixed his shirt...

 

Harold was pulling away with a disgruntled sound, settling back on his heels. John gasped "Hey", and chased after his retreating lips, bending down to kiss him firmly. In his haste, his forehead bumped into the edge of Finch's hat, until Finch chuckled and took it off and wrapped his arms around him. John nipped at Harold's lower lip until he granted him access. He slid his hands under Harold's arms and slid them up over his back, so that he was cupping Harold's shoulders from behind. His face was cool from the winter chill, but heating rapidly the longer John kissed him, and his mouth was sweet and warm.

 

Some blissful minutes later, they separated for the sake of oxygen. Wispy white clouds signaled the speed and depth of their breathing. John couldn't resist following up with a couple of quick pecks to Harold's cheek and hairline, only stopping when Finch batted him away, objecting to being smothered.

 

John released him from his embrace, standing apart again with some reluctance. Harold dropped his hat back onto his head, and regarded John affectionately. "Oh, look at you." Brusquely, he swiped at the accumulated snow on John's shoulders and hair. "I can't afford to have you catch cold, you know." John felt like he was radiating so much warmth from the inside out, in the form of happiness, that nothing could touch him.

 

"I'll be fine, Harold."

 

"You'd better be. Let's go home."

**Author's Note:**

> Chinese translation available: <http://archiveofourown.org/works/5907313>. Thank you, lzqsk!


End file.
